Cal Poly Center for Teaching and Learning

This template meets the Academic Senate Policies’ requirements.

How to use this template to update your previous syllabus

Step 1: Download the Word 2008 file

The first step in updating your Syllabus in Microsoft Word 2008 to be accessible is by downloading this template:

• Click Here to Download Template

Step 2: Save the file onto your computer

The next step in creating ADA-compliant syllabi is by choosing the Save File option and clicking OK when asked what to do with your download. Save the file in the following folder:

Macintosh > Users > Username > Library > Application Support > Microsoft > Office > User Templates > My Templates

Step 3: Open the file

Once the template is saved in the My Templates folder, you can go into Word and click on File > Project Gallery. The project gallery window will pop up giving you different options of starting new projects. In the Category list, click on My Templates. There you will see the new template.

Step 4: Fill out the template

There are two methods of inputting your content into the syllabus

Direct Input Method

• Highlight the text that you want to change and type directly over it. Text in the template will be replaced

Copy and Paste Method

You can transfer text from your previous syllabus to this template with the Copy and Paste functions in Word.

• Open both your previous syllabus and this template in Word
• In your previous syllabus, copy the text that you want to transfer
• In the template, highlight the corresponding text that you want to replace
• Paste your copied text over the highlighted text in the new template

A Paste function icon will appear next to the copied text.

Click on the downward arrow in this icon and choose the “Match Destination Formatting” option in the pop down list.

The Style and Formatting of the pasted text will confirm to the template's.

Additional Resources

Acrobat Accessibility Resources
Creating Accessible PDF Documents with Adobe Acrobat 7.0